Walking Dead 1. Learning How To Use a Crossbow

_Daryl tries to teach Brie how to use a crossbow._

"I don't see why I need to learn this." Brie says, following Daryl out by the school bus near the prison. She quickened her pace to match his, "The things going to kill me before I kill anything with it."

Daryl ignores the blonde girl chomping at his heels, "Best ya know, in case of emergency."

Brie rolls her eyes, "In case of emergency, the last object I'd grab is _your_ crossbow."

"Well, I've got two crossbows now and it'd be best if more than one person knew how to use em. Quieter anyways." Daryl finally stops in front of the prison bus, tilted on its side. He grabs a spray can he found in a prisoners cell, unsure how it even got there. He made a target, three red rings were dripping when he was done.

"I think knives are pretty quiet." Brie says as a last ditch attempt.

Daryl turns to give her a look, "Crossbows are cooler though."

She raises an eyebrow at him. Finally she smiles and looks away from him, "Is that really your argument?"

Daryl drops the spray paint can, then adjusts the crossbow over his shoulder. "Now use this to guide you, ya see?" He asks Brie, as she watches closely. "Aim a little higher than you think it needs to be." He takes a breath, "Then pull the trigger." He pulls it and the arrow heads flying for the middle circle. "Now you try it." He holds the crossbow out to the petite blonde.

She takes a few tentative steps forward. Brie swings it over her shoulder, "I'm not so sure about this." She manages to say. She then aims it, aiming a little higher than it needs to be. She pulls the trigger and the force almost sends her flying. Then the arrow completely misses each of the rings.

"See, I told you this was a bad idea." Brie says matter-of-factly, "I don't know what you thought was going to happen. We can't all have guns for arms." She adds with a light tease.

Daryl chuckles, "You just have your position all wrong." He says, walking over to her. He lightly places his hands on her hips, helping her raise the crossbow to her shoulders. He's behind her and breathing into her ear and she can't help but shiver.

"Like I said before, just breathe." He says softly into her ear, "Come on."

Brie raises the crossbow higher, acutely aware of how close the two are.

"Squeeze the trigger." He says softly and she does exactly that. When she pulls the trigger, the arrow goes flying and lands in the middle circle. Brie makes a victory squeal and hugs Daryl.

He's hesitant but he wraps his arms around her anyways.

"Sorry." She says, letting herself out of his grip, aware of his discomfort. "Got a little into it."

Daryl gives her a little smirk, "Don't worry about it."

* * *

So essentially this is just going to be a big story of cute one shots between my OC (Brie) and Daryl. :D So enjoy, review, favorite, follow, whatever!


	2. Drunken Kisses & Stolen Whiskey

_Daryl and Brie find booze in Hershel's house._

* * *

Brie pads out of her room, lightly walking down the stairs. She goes over to the liquor cabinet, opening it with a sly smile. The bottle of whiskey is singing it's praise as she lifts it up and takes it. Hershel wouldn't mind too much, not like he drinks anymore anyways. Brie pads back up the stairs, ready to tear through the bottle. She sets the bottle on her nightstand, then sees a fire outside her window. Hmm..

She's throwing on her leather jacket and boots before she regrets her decision. She sneaks out of the house, heading for the rows of tents. Now, to figure out which one he was in.

She spots a red tent with a pair of brown boots that looked like Daryl's outside of it. Brie's unsure if she should knock.

"Daryl?" She whispers at the zipper.

She hears a shuffling as the person in the tent pulls themselves up. Unzipping the zipper and poking their head out. Her eyes connect with the eyes of Daryl Dixon.

"The hell you doin' out here, blondie?" He asks, shooting a look towards the house, "Hershel let you out to play?"

Brie glares at him, regretting her decision already. "Ha, very funny. Guess I'll drink that bottle of whiskey myself." She says, getting ready to walk away. Daryl lunges out of the tent, standing up and grabbing her arm.

"Did I ever mention how beautiful ya are?" Daryl says breathlessly, his hand still on her arm.

The blonde girl rolls her eyes, "Come on." She says, walking towards the house, "You've gotta be quiet though."

"Sneaking guys in past your bedtime? Aren't you just rebellious?"

She turns to glare at him, "Maybe you should go back to talking about how beautiful I am." She climbs up the stairs, quietly opening the screen door. Brie leads him up to her room and she quietly closes the door.

* * *

They end up drinking until they can barely stand up straight. That all of the shitty stuff has happened to them just seems like a passing nightmare. Like they'd just wake up in the morning and that'd be it.

"Brie? Are you awake in there?"

Brie's eyes widen in alarm, "Shhhhh." She shoves Daryl into her bathroom and closes the door. She pads over to her door, opening it, "Was sleeping." She mutters in a voice that she hopes sounds tired instead of drunk.

"Sorry, thought I heard some noise. Good night, sweetie." He kisses her on her forehead. She quietly shuts the door and Daryl comes out.

"You almost got me in trouble!" She slurs with a light shove.

"Ooooooh. Good girl gone bad, eh?" Daryl says, taking a few drunken steps towards her. "I like it, it suits you."

Brie rolls her eyes, placing a hand on her hip, "Who's to say I was ever good in the first place?" She says. She tries to say it with a straight face but she starts giggling again.

Daryl smirks, "Lemme try somethin'."

"Hell no, you aren't getting within 10 inches of me." Brie says when she notices he's advancing on her.

"No no no. Stand still. You're barely still enough as it is." Daryl jokes as he advances on her. Brie finds herself pressed against the wall, "About damn time you stayed in place."

Brie's giggling and she can barely keep her eyes open, "What are you gonna try, cowboy?" She asks, letting the nickname slide easily through her lips. "You gonna try bein' nice for a change-"

He cuts her off when he kisses her. She's so surprised she nearly tumbles to the ground in a drunken stupor. His arm latches around her waist, preventing her from falling. His other hand runs its way through her golden blonde hair.

He pulls away from her in a few seconds.

"That's what I wanted to try."

* * *

_Daryl and Brie's first drunken kiss, how cute! _


	3. Student Becomes Teacher: How to Fight

_Daryl teaches Brie how to fight_

* * *

"This is stupid." Brie proclaims, "No matter how hard the punch, that isn't going to save me from walkers." She makes a point to nod her head at the walkers at the fences, begging for entry.

Daryl rolls his eyes, "It ain't fer walkers." He contradicts, "We goin' into an all out war with the Governor, sickest bastard I know besides my brother. You're goin' to need to know how to fight."

Brie puts her lip out in a pout, "I can fight." She says, her chin in the air.

Daryl raises an eyebrow at her, "Do you?" He says, then, without having any time to blink, he attacks her. He easily gets a knife against her throat, not pressing, but warning her fragile skin.

Brie struggles against his grip, "Fine, I get it, let me go." She demands. He refuses to release her, "Are you going deaf, cowboy? I said let me go!"

"What are you going to do if you're actually in this situation? Just goin' to sit there and demand?" Daryl presses herself harder against him, "It ain't going ter work, _sunshine.__"_

_"_I'll just hope for you to come save me, obviously." Brie says, a sarcastic tone highlighting her voice, "I'll obviously kick them in the groin."

"What if it's a chick?"

"It won't be."

"How do you know?"

Brie tries to glare at him but he still has her restricted. "Just so you know I'm glaring at you right now." She announces.

"Doll, you ain't goin' to survive if you keep sassin' me."

"Then let me go." She says for what feels like the millionth time.

He finally releases her with a chuckle, putting his knife back in his belt. "I'm going to teach you how to counter restricting moves."

She cocks an eyebrow at him, "If only you had taught that to me approximately five seconds ago." She says with a cocky smile.

Daryl rolls his eyes, "You frustratin'."

"You wanted to teach me, remember?" Brie says, putting a hand on her hip, "I didn't say I was willing to cooperate."

"Anyways." He says, ignoring her sly remarks and obvious overuse of sarcasm. "If someone's got a knife to your throat, kickin' them in the groin would only make them slash your throat. You gotta grab the knife, _then kick them in the groin_. But if it's a chick, you gotta move that knife away from your throat and head butt them."

"Got it." Brie says.

Daryl lunges at her again, prepared to teach her the new move, though when he tries to get around her, she dances in his path. He squints his eyebrows at her.

"You ain't goin' to learn nothin' if you don't let me teach you."

"I'm teaching you that despite your massive size advantage, you can't shove me around." Brie lightly taps her finger against his nose, "Student becomes teacher." She says.

Daryl smirks, shaking his head, torn between being impressed and being pissed off. "Like I said-"

"If you don't let me teach yer ain't goin' to learn nothin'." Brie imitates in an incredibly poor country accent, "Heard you the first time cowboy-" She's cut off when he suddenly shoves her to the ground. A light 'eep' is heard before he's on top of her, straddling her.

"Get off of me!" Brie demands, feeling squeamish and sexually bothered.

"Make me! That accent of yours is awful by the way, can see now why you don't have one." Daryl teases, pinning her arms above her head. "Whatcha goin' to do, sunshine?"

"I hate it when you call me that!" Brie groans.

"You think I like the nickname cowboy?" He says, rolling his eyes.

"The fuck you two doin'?" A shout is suddenly heard, Daryl and Brie look over to see Merle in the entrance of the Prison. "Y'all learnin' how to fight or are y'all having sex?" Merle shakes his head, going back into the Prison, muttering something about, "Sexually frustrated young adults these days, damn."

Brie kicks Daryl off of her in that moment, her face flushing. They both lay on the ground.

"Good lesson for today, teacher." Brie says, pushing herself off the ground. "Let me know when you want your ass kicked next time."

* * *

_fluffy fluffy fluffy! Hah :) Hope you enjoyed!_


	4. Morals & Bad Boys

_Daryl teaches Brie how to hunt._

* * *

"I had a pet rabbit once." The blonde next to a very muscular man says. She's incredibly chatty and has yet to stop talking since they descended into the forest. He seems visibly irritated by her. "Her name was Muffins." She adds after a few moments of silence. "I miss her - she used to do this cute thing with her ear-"

"We ain't gon' to catch nothin' if you don't shut yer mouth."

She furrows her eyebrows at him in an attempt to look angry but only looks cute instead. "We don't even need to hunt, we have rice in the pantry.."

"Yeah but when we leave Hershel's we ain't goin' to have a fuckin' pantry."

"He'll let us stay. I'm too infinitely lovely for him to kick us out." Brie smiles as if she's found out how to cure walkers, "See, I totally just saved all of your asses just by-" Then she's shoved roughly against a tree, his hand covering her mouth. He has a finger raised up to his lips, saying softly, 'shhh'.

Brie can feel the intimacy of the moment though he's not looking at her. His body connecting perfectly with hers, their heat mingling with each other. She can hardly breathe and she's certain he can feel her heart beating through her chest.

She spots a doe off in the distance, unaware of the moment. Daryl pushes off of her then, leaving the moment in the air. He jerks his head for him to follow him and she does so.

"Get yer bow." He nods at the bow on her back. She grabs it and knocks an arrow on the string, raising it at the doe.

"Lil' higher." He grumbles, pushing her elbow up. "Release." He mutters and she lets the arrow fly. The arrow hits the doe precisely in the eye. "That's how ya do it!" He cries triumphantly, helping her up from her kneeling position. "Damn right, I'm a great teacher."

Brie walks over to the dead doe, pulling out the arrow. "I hate hunting." She declares.

He looks at her, surprised, "Why?"

"I didn't like it before the apocalypse." Brie says as an explanation, wiping the arrow off on her jeans. "Now it's actually necessary."

"You were a priss before this whole thing went down?"

Brie feels her face turn red with anger, "I was not!"

"Yeah, yer were."

"Piss off, Dixon!" She gives him a light shove, "I had _morals_ that is hardly being a priss!"

"Your morals didn't stop you from shootin' that doe, sunshine."

"I hate that nickname." She says for what feels like the twentieth time. Though it probably is.

"I know you do."

"Then why do you use it?" Brie growls at him as he cuts the meat off of the doe, "If you know I hate it-"

"I think yer cute when yer frustrated." He says as an explanation. She feels her face flame again, remembering that moment they share with the whiskey and -. Brie quickly dismisses the image from her mind. Her and Daryl Dixon were never going to happen, it was fate.

"I'm always frustrated around you." She snaps, "Hurry up, I'm getting sick of having to question my morals."

Daryl looks up at her, raising an eyebrow with a teasing glint in his eyes, "Did you always pick the bad boys?"

Brie is taken back by the question, "What-"

Then suddenly he's pressing her against a tree again, kissing her madly. His lips seem to be everywhere but nowhere at the same time. His hunting gloves scratch her face, undoubtedly leaving blood on her cream skin. His tongue forces entry into her mouth, teasing her lips and there's a gasp sounded in the air. He finally releases her, breathing hard, only inches apart.

"No, they always seem to pick me." Brie says, answering his question. Her green eyes striking lightning when looking into his blue eyes.

* * *

_*fangirls cause this is getting really fluffy* Oh the fluffy feels. Hope you enjoy, as said multiple times, this isn't in order & may reference other one shots/moments. So yep, enjoy & review & favorite cause that's what the cool kids do these days._


	5. Daryl's Jealousy

_Daryl's jealousy flames up in an encounter with Martinez._

* * *

The blonde girl sitting on top of the van was visibly bored. She watched Daryl pace back and forth waiting for Rick and the Governor to emerge. Brie yawned, stretching herself out over the hood of the van.

"Ain't seen you before. You're a pretty little thing, aren't you?"

She looks up to realize she's being talked to by Martinez, one of the Governor's henchmen, "Haven't seen you before either" She says, deliberately ignoring his comment.

"What's your name?"

"Brie."

He nods, walking over to her, "What are you doing with people like this? You seem nice enough, why'd you get all caught up in this? They're bad people."

Brie pulls herself up, quirking an eyebrow at him, "Who's to say I'm not as bad as they are?" A teasing tone is in her voice and she can see Daryl out of the corner of her eye, looking pissed _off_.

Martinez nods, seeming intrigued by her. He takes a few steps closer towards her, until his mouth is by her ear, "You're not with that hick guy are you?" He says it in a very suggestive term, as if he's really hoping that she isn't.

Her face visibly flames up, but Daryl mistakes it for sexual attraction to Martinez.

"Ay!" Daryl shouts, walking over to the two, "Leave her alone."

Martinez looks over at Brie, a grin on his lips, "Yeah, who's going to make me?"

"I will." Daryl growls, taking a step towards Martinez.

Brie hops off of the car, forcing herself in between the two. She puts one hand on each of their chests, "Stop acting like animals. We don't have time for this." She snarls at the two men who are fuming at each other.

"Looks like I got my answer." Martinez grumbles to Brie, stepping away from her hand and turning around to join Milton.

Brie rounds on Daryl, "Can you just... stop?" She says hastily, shoving past him. He grabs her arm and pulls her close to him.

"You ain't doin' anything you goin' to regret are ya? What did he say to you?" His normally vacant blue eyes are filled with concern.

"No, I'm not." She snaps, angry at him for thinking that she's an idiot. That she would really run off with the first man she saw. "Nothing of importance." She says instead of giving him a solid answer.

He pulls her closer again until their noses nearly touch, "I don't trust em' and neither should you."

"I don't."

"Good." He says, finally releasing her.

Brie couldn't help but feel like a small child. Like she had been pulled aside and criticized for something she had done. She steps away from his curious eyes and resumes to her position on the car. The feeling lingering and not yet going away.

"He's just worried about you." Hershel says from inside the car.

Brie turns to look at him, "But that was unnecessary."

"Jealousy can do that."

She feels her face flame at the idea of Daryl Dixon being _jealous_. Sure, they've kissed twice, but they never really went anywhere after it. They just sort of had a mutual agreement to never talk about it again. They got all caught up in surviving they didn't have time to think about it.

Brie can hear Daryl arguing with Milton.

"Better watch yer mouth sunshine." He quips. Milton looks visibly frightened by Daryl as he retreats to his truck.

Daryl rolls his eyes, walking over to Brie. He sets himself next to her, raising an eyebrow at her. "You gon' tell me?"

"I don't have to."

"Stop actin' like a kid, it ain't cute."

"Wasn't trying to be."

"Are you two done acting like a married couple?" Hershel quips from the car, a chortle of laughter following.

Daryl turns around to glare at Hershel, but when he looks away. Brie sees the hint of a smile on his lips.

* * *

_just a little fluffy bit of Daryl's wicked jealousy, hope you enjoyed! _


	6. The Poncho of Fate

_Brie and Daryl find a certain familiar poncho in a store they're looting with the group._

* * *

"You scared?" She suddenly hears in her ear, she whips around to see Daryl Dixon, beaming, crouching beside her. She rolls her eyes, returning her attention to the nearly empty aisle.

"Of course not." She says, but there's a shake to her voice. She feels a hand on the small of her back.

"You'll be okay, I'm here now."

Daryl Dixon had this annoying way of calming Brie down when she should be on high alert. She had been crouching and thinking of all of the ways this could go wrong. Then he just comes up and every thought disappears.

He whistles and leads Brie down another aisle.

"Clear!" They suddenly hear Rick shout.

"Clear!" Daryl responds.

There's a choir of clears' throughout the empty grocery store.

"Grab what you can carry." Rick says, meeting with Brie and Daryl in the cereal aisle. "Put stuff in your bag. If it gets too heavy, don't grab it."

Brie separates herself from the group and goes into the clothing aisle. Winter was coming and they had to prepare. She finds a basket and begins throwing clothes in it. Right as she grabs for a winter jacket, a rotting hand grabs her wrist. She's about to unleash hell and kill the little shit - but it drops just as quickly as it appeared.

Brie notes an arrow sticking out of its head. She grabs it out and sees Daryl Dixon standing behind her.

"Oh my hero." She coos, a smile on her lips.

"Figured you'd be one fer trouble." He offers as an explanation, walking over to her and retrieving the arrow. "Trouble is just attracted to ya, figured it'd be ya that'd find one."

Brie rolls her eyes, while rolling, she spots a poncho. It's an array of different colors and she grabs it off the hook, holding it up to Daryl's chin.

"We're getting this for you."

"Hell nah." He says, shoving the poncho away from him. "Ain't goin' to look like a sign for walkers."

"It'll be warm." Brie insists, "Besides, you'd look cute in it."

"Cute?"

"I'm sorry did I bruise your ego? Maybe I should have used a more manly word.." She ponders for a moment, "Nope, cute was the word I was looking for." Brie has a devious smile on her lips, "Come on, put it on!"

Daryl has a smirk set on his lips, shaking his head, "Nah. You can keep it. Be way too big on you."

"That's why _you're_ going to keep it." She says, standing on her tip toes and trying to get it over his head. "Come on don't make this difficult!" She whines as he keeps rapidly moving. She trips on her toes and falls against him, giggling.

"Twice in less than 10 minutes, yer in need of savin' today." Daryl says, helping her back on her feet. "Fine, I'll put the damn thing on."

Brie makes a small noise that can only be registered as a victory noise. He allows her to put it over his head and is surprised when it's warm.

"See, you look fine."

"It's warm."

"I told you so."

He rolls his eyes, eyeing her basket, "You getting anything for yerself?"

"Nah, I'm fine." She says, holding up a basket of mens and kids clothes, "I've got enough."

He nods, just agreeing with her. "Okay. We ought to get goin' before I'm not here to save yer ass."

"Ha ha ha, very funny, cowboy."

"Damn right, sunshine."

She turns around to glare at him, "You know I hate that nickname."

"I know."

* * *

_yep more fluff. That's what this fanfic is turning into. Review, favorite, & follow! It's what the cool kids do! _


	7. Brie's First Ride on Daryl's Motorcycle

_Brie's first ride on a motorcycle. _

* * *

"Brie, you get on the motorcycle with Daryl. No room in the van." Rick says to Brie. She looks over at the death machine in question. She's always had an intoxicating fear of motorcycles.

"Or I could just stay here." She counter-offers with a hopeful tone to her voice.

Rick looks at her in a 'there's no way in hell that's going to happen' kind of way and she gives in. She walks over to Daryl, her head down.

"What's wrong with you, sunshine?" He asks, grabbing the keys for the bike out of his pocket.

"I hate motorcycles."

Daryl grabs his chest in mock hurt, "Now why would yer do that? They're perfect, good on gas..."

Brie sighs, "I'm terrified of them, okay? Don't make this worse." She groans, putting her face in her hands.

"Hey hey hey." He says, placing his hands on her shoulders and kneeling down to her eyes. "Yer goin' to be jus' fine. Ye got me, yer savior, remember? Yer hero? You think I'm going ter let you just fall off?"

"The thought has crossed my mind."

Daryl grins, "Nah, I ain't that awful, come on now. We're holdin' everyone up." He swings his leg over the side of the bike, easily climbing on. Brie does the same, sitting on the back. "Yer going to have to get closer than that, princess." He grabs her legs and pulls her close to him, "Come on now, lock yerself around me."

She can feel her heart beating a thousand miles an hour as she locks her hands around his abdomen. He starts up the motorcycle and she can feel her fears screaming. Brie clutches harder to Daryl as the bike begins to move.

It wasn't bad, not at all. Daryl calmed her down immensely, though whenever he sped up, she had to clench onto him. The motorcycle was loud and it seemed to drown out her fears. Her long golden hair flowing in the wind.

Brie also realized the close proximity of the two. There was barely breathing room and she couldn't help but feel that intense sexual frustration the two seemed to share. He was clamped between her thighs and - _no Brie, not the time to think about those things_. She finally scolds herself. Letting all of those not-so-innocent ideas leak from her mind.

The motorcycle comes to a halt at last and she nearly jumps off of the thing. Thanking God or whoever was listening that she was alive. Though she was close to thaking the sexual frustration because that distracted her long enough to ignore-

"Told yer I wouldn't let you go."

She spins around to see Daryl, banishing all of her thoughts to give him a witty remark, "I think the problem would have been me letting go. Not you."

Daryl's eyes are saddened for a few moments until he turns away. He looks over at the gas station, "Lets do this." He adjusts his strap on his shoulder and walks past Brie towards the station.

Her eyebrows knit in confusion, "What did I say?"

* * *

_oh, some major Daryl symbolism goin' on in this one shot. Pretty short, but it shows a bit more of Daryl/Brie's relationship in a more, less PG point of view, haha._

_review, fave, & follow! _


	8. Brie vs the Tombs

_Brie and Daryl clear out tombs together._

* * *

Brie wouldn't say she was afraid of the dark. She would much rather put it as 'I just switch on the light very quickly.' She did not like the mysteries the dark could hold. During an apocalypse, she wouldn't say the dark was a fear, more of a very cautious atmosphere. Kind of why she was chained to Daryl. She insisted on them tying an handkerchief between the two so she wouldn't lose him and he wouldn't lose her.

Whenever she got scared, she'd tug on the handkerchief to remind herself she was not alone. He reassured her many times there was probably nothing in the tombs, though she didn't like the 'probably' factor.

"Daryl?" She whispers through the darkness.

"What? You gon' bring em to us." Daryl manages to make his voice sound snappy though he's whispering.

"We should go back." Brie whispers, her eyes darting wildly around the darkness, "There isn't anything over here."

"Then we can keep goin'."

"Nope lets go." Brie tugs on the handkerchief, trying to lead him away from going deeper into the tombs. Though when she tugs, the handkerchief just falls out of his pocket. She feels panic flood through her body.

"Daryl..." She whispers, no response. "No no no." She's repeating, grasping through the darkness for anything. She backpedals because the only thing she can trust right now is the light. Brie considers flipping on her flashlight, but she's terrified of what she might see.

Brie stops backpedaling and thinks about Daryl. She thinks about him alone in the tombs and that terrifies her more than being alone in the tombs herself. She almost scolds herself for caring too much about him, but now is not that time to think about that. So she furthers herself deeper into the tombs. She comes to an opening and thinks she's lost. That he's lost.

"Come on, don't play games with me, Dixon." Brie bites her lips, nearly tearing it open with her teeth. She suddenly feels fingers pressing into her sides, sending her jumping into the air with a shriek.

She couldn't be more relieved when she sees smirking blue orbs staring back at her. Brie flings her arms around him, hugging him close to her.

"Damn it Dixon." She's growling and she's cursing and can barely form a thought. "Don't worry me like that."

"Come on sunshine, what did I say?"

Brie pulls away from him to grimace, "Only worry about yourself."

"You were suppose' to go back and tell the others, not trek out and find me."

"You broke the rule too though!" She insists, "You said so yourself. Why can't I break it?"

Daryl grabs her by the chin, forcing her to look up at him ,"Cause' I don't want yer to get killed on account of my dumb ass gettin' lost in the tombs. I ain't goin' to let yer get killed cause of me."

Brie squints her eyes at him, "You never told me who you broke the rule for."

There's silence for a few beats, as he ponders what to say to her. The small blonde woman in front of him is nearly teetering over the edge with curiosity.

"I broke the rule for you, sunshine." He finally says.

Brie realizes how close the two are. His fingers lightly holding her chin up. She realizes, though they've kissed twice, they never acknowledged it. They only moved on, never thinking about it again.

"I didn't ask you to."

"That's the crazy thing about the rule, sunshine. It just seems to break itself once you find someone worthy enough to break it for."

Brie gives him a small before taking her chin from his grasp. "Who's to say you weren't worthy enough for rule breaking? What was that you said in the forest, cowboy? Something about bad boys always picking me... last time I checked, bad boys break rules."

He stiffens at the casual reference to their steamy kiss in the forest. The random explosion of passion that seemed to push her against that tree. That seemed to overwhelm and intoxicate his entire body.

He breaks the moment because he doesn't want her to get wound up in the idea of him. "We should get back."

She seems slightly disappointed, but she walks past him. Brie fishes the handkerchief out of her pocket, tying it to his belt loop. "I won't tug this time." She says softly before walking back to the others.

Daryl sighs because he doesn't have an idea what he's going to do with her.

* * *

_fave & review & follow, y'all know the drill! Haha :) Just some Daryl/Brie angst. Hope y'all enjoyed, this is probably one of my personal favorite one shots._


	9. Meeting Merle

_Brie's first encounter with Daryl after leaving, also Merle._

* * *

When Brie heard about Daryl's return, she was excited. Then she heard about his brother, Merle Dixon, and all of the excitement vanished. From what she had heard, Merle had a crazy negative impact on Daryl. Daryl used to be this crazy reckless impulsive person who only cared about himself and his brother. Though the joke around the prison was that the little circle now included Brie. Brie brushed the rumors off when Merle Dixon walked into the room.

He was old, that was obvious. Whether the apocalypse aged him or whether it was just age was hard to tell. Merle Dixon prevented her from sprinting across the room and hugging that son of a bitch, Daryl.

Daryl spots Brie, standing up on the balcony. She seems sad and unattached, though worry still lights up her features. He gives Merle a pat on the back and climbs up the stairs.

"You miss me, sunshine?"

Brie doesn't turn to look at him, "You forgot to say goodbye."

"Didn't have the time."

"Sure."

She seems angry and resentful, he realizes. Though when he touches her elbow, it hits him full on. She wasn't angry and resentful. She was hurt and betrayed. Brie was hurt because he didn't say goodbye. Goodbyes were the only thing she could hold onto anymore. Though the group comes back, Rick sits her down, and tells her that he abandoned her. Ditched her.

"Got my brother though."

"Good for you."

Silence ensues.

"You just gon' keep treatin' me like shit? I already feel like shit so mission accomplished..." Daryl grumbles on, trying, pleading with her just to fucking _look_ at him. She won't even give him that.

"Treating you like shit is the only way I'm not going to beat the shit out of you." Brie finally says after a few seconds of silence. "You left." Her voice cracks. "I broke that stupid rule for you! What if you had died out there? That would be blood on _my_ hands."

Daryl furrows his eyebrows at her, "Yer upset cause of that rule?"

Brie rolls her eyes, hanging her arms over the edge of the balcony, "I guess so. It's stupid."

"Nah, it's cute. It's you. You ain't changed a bit since I left."

She feels her face flush because it's the same Daryl. She expected the racist impulsive asshole, not the man standing beside her. They suddenly hear a whistle behind them, they whirl around to see Merle Dixon.

"Ain't you a pretty little thing." Merle allows his eyes to roam her, up and down, bit by bit. "Damn lil brotha, ye sure know how to pick em."

Brie feels uncomfortable, shifting awkwardly, "So you're Merle."

"Damn right I am, you're Brie aren't ya? Daryl's told me plenty, yer a spicy lil' thang, aren't ya?" Merle takes a few steps towards her, prompting Daryl to pull her closer to him with a casual hand around the hip.

"Merle, back off." Daryl says, glaring at him.

"Just bein' friendly." Merle raises his hands up as if in defense. "Is bein' friendly a sin with ya now lil brotha? She made you soft? Eh? All soft and fluffy, like a damn rabbit, eh? Did ya tell her about those dirty little thoughts-"

"Stop!" Daryl is suddenly right in front of Merle, "Just, stop."

Merle grins, "Yer still too easy to get to lil brotha." He nods at Brie then, "Nice meetin' ya." He then puts his hands in his pockets, a sly smirk on his face as he walks away.

"And that was my brother." Daryl growls under his breath, "That fucking bastard."

* * *

_oh, just a little protective Daryl for y'all to enjoy! fave, review, follow, the usual drill! Hope you like this!_


	10. Trapped In School

_Daryl and Brie get trapped inside of a high school._

* * *

"I cannot believe this." The frustrated blonde said, sitting on the teacher's desk in a vacated classroom. They had shoved a desk under the doorknob to keep any walkers from coming in. "I am _not_ dying in high school."

"Yer not really _in_ high school, sunshine." Daryl says, ripping cabinets open and looking for anything useful. "Ain't nothin' here xcept' old gum." He grumbles, his eyebrows furrowing in worry.

"You think we're going to make it?" Brie asks, looking over at him, her legs swinging carelessly off the desk. "Be honest."

"Nah, I don't think we will."

Silence ensues and Brie has to swallow back her tears because she doesn't want to die. She isn't ready to die. Sure, death was always around the corner but that didn't mean she had to look at it in the face. Daryl thought they were going to die, it didn't mean they would, but to her it did. It meant everything to her.

"I'm sorry for leavin' ya."

Brie looks up suddenly, to see Daryl has stopped shuffling through drawers. He's staring at her right on. He's talking about how he left the Prison group to go be with his brother, Merle.

"Would have given us more time if I had just stayed."

"Don't apologize, you did what you had to do." She says, though the apology hits too close to him. It makes her heart twist uncomfortably and she can feel the tears coming back.

"Nah, I need to apologize. You needed me, and I just left ya." Daryl runs a hand through his long hair, "Not even a damn goodbye, I'm just damn happy ya didn't just slit my throat out when I came back."

The noises outside of the door get louder.

Brie hops off the desk, "Yep that's it. We're not dying here." She begins to shuffle through the drawers of the teacher's desk, finding matches. She turns the idea over in her head.

Daryl walks over to her, "That ain't goin' to do nothin' but bring em to us, sunshine."

Brie glances over at the window, "I'll distract them, you go."

Daryl looks at her as if she's grown another head, "There ain't no way in fuckin' hell-"

"Just do it, okay?" She snaps at him, "Just please."

"I'll distract, you run."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yer actin' like a damn child."

"My idea."

"I ain't lettin' you."

Brie finds herself at a stalemate with him. He's unwilling to let her sacrifice herself for him. "Then what do you suggest we do? We don't have any other options-" He kisses her then, in the heat of the moment.

This is their third kiss, and yes, Brie was keeping track. The kiss seems to be short, though he's pulling at her lip with a fever and trying to taste every part of her, in case they do die. Maybe he was tired of hearing her talk, maybe he was tired of the idea of death itself. Maybe he just wanted to fucking kiss her.

He pulls away from her then.

"Okay I'm not sure how that's supposed to help." Brie says instead of being flattered and sexually frustrated.

"I'm goin' to distract em', and yer goin' to get away." Daryl takes the matches from her before she can say anything. He takes his handkerchief out of his pocket, setting it on fire. He walks over to the door and throws it open, setting the handkerchief on the ground. He sprints down the hallway, making loud obnoxious noises.

Brie is so tempted to go after him, but she won't let him sacrifice himself if she won't save herself. She jumps out the window, sprinting across the dew-encrusted grass. She spots the truck and throws herself in, and she waits.

He doesn't come out.

Not for a few minutes.

Brie looks in the backseat to see his old crossbow, she swears and grabs it. She flings herself out of the truck, taking down the walkers behind Daryl with ease. He finally climbs into the truck and she does so too. She slams her foot on the gas and tears out.

Only when they get into the country side do they talk.

"So, those crossbow sessions did come in handy, eh?"

Brie rolls her eyes, still breathing heavily, though she manages a smile. "I hate it when you're right."

"Best get used to it sunshine."

"So we're not going to talk about that kiss, hm? Just like the other two?" She finally brings up the subject.

Daryl shrugs, "Well I dunno, just a kiss."

Just a kiss, well then.

"Kay." Brie manages, though she can hear the pain inflict her tone, "Got it."

They both lapse back into silence.

* * *

_Just a nice near-death experience for y'all to grovel over. Hope you enjoyed! wanted to highlight the complexity of their relationship a tad bit. Didn't want to make it too depressing and doomsday-y._

_fave, review, & follow! That's the drill y'all, stick to it! _

_Hope you enjoyed!_


	11. Brie meets Daryl

_Brie meets Daryl (I know this is long overdue but please bear with me!)_

* * *

Brie was out making a run when she came back to see her world upside down. She walked into Hershel's to see a shot boy laying in her bed, when she turned towards the ktichen, she saw strange men. Strange men that did not belong in her picture perfect walker free world.

"This is my daughter Maggie's friend, Brie." Hershel gestures towards the small blonde girl in the doorway, a bag slung over her shoulder lazily. She seems to curl up into herself when the three men turn to stare at her.

One of them, of course, being Daryl Dixon. She was not afraid of him, she just wasn't going to leave her bedroom door unlocked tonight.

"Nice to meet you." Brie says quickly, she gestures to the bag on her shoulder, "Where do you want me to put this, Hershel?"

"Just sort it. They've got a big group, so leave them a pretty big ration." Hershel says, turning back to the leader of the group, Rick.

Brie nods, turning on her heel.

"Wait."

She turns around to find herself face to face with Daryl Dixon, "Yes?" She asks, hoping her voice didn't waver.

"You go on runs all by yerself?" He asks, a sly southern accent seeping through his voice. Making her skin erupt in goosebumps.

"Yep." Brie says with a small smile, "Clears the mind."

"Yer crazy?"

She's taken back by his bluntness, "Um, it's also called trying to provide, to contribute." She says, obviously annoyed by Daryl's sudden proclamation towards her sanity. "After all, I will be the one feeding your group tonight, so I'd try being nice." Brie's acutely aware that she sounds snappy, but she's pissed. Who was this guy? Why did he think he could just prance in here and tell her how to live her life.

Daryl scoffs and turns on his heel to join Rick, Hershel, and Shane again. "Try bein' nice, yer obviously know nothin' bout' me lil' girl."

"Obviously not." She quips, "I much prefer it this way." With that last retort, she turns on her heel and marches upstairs.

"Feisty." Daryl comments as he joins the group, "I like it."


	12. Brie and Daryl Become Cell Mates

_Brie and Daryl become cell mates._

* * *

Brie walked into a cell, plopping her bag down. She realized how tight and claustrophobic the cell was. The gray walls seemed to suck her in. Now she understood why she never quite made it to prison.

"Lookin' for a cell mate?"

Brie whirls around, her blonde hair flying after her, "You offering?"

"Figured it'd be a good idea. With those shady prisoners and all, goin' to need me around, ya know." Daryl is sheepish, he doesn't seem like the insecure type, but that's all he is. He's this huge bundle of insecurity, though he masks it with his larger than life muscles.

"Am I going to need you around?" Brie quips, quirking an eyebrow at him. "I don't know, I think I'm getting more muscular than you, Dixon. Come on, keep up." She teases, flexing her muscle.

Daryl chuckles, "That a yes or a no, sunshine?"

"You just had to throw sunshine in there, didn't you?"

"Wouldn't be like me if I didn't."

"Fine, have it your way.. _cowboy_." She quips, "I get top bunk though, no debate. If you want to debate, go walk into a crowd of walkers without your handy dandy crossbow."

Daryl chuckles again, throwing his bag onto the bottom bunk, "Damn I thought we could cuddle, ya know, all that good junk."

"Sorry to spoil your fanfiction, Dixon."

"Fanfiction? The fuck is that?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if this turned into one." Brie says with a grin on her face, totally at ease with Daryl being confused. She pats him on the shoulder, "I could take any of those prisoners down."

"Sure ye could, sunshine." Daryl pats her on the head, "Yer a midget."

"I am not!" She snaps, her face flushing a furious red.

"Ye gotta look up at me."

"I think everyone has to!" Brie's fumbling for a response, and he ruffles her hair.

"Nah, think it's just you, sunshine."

"Shut up." Brie grumbles, pushing past him, "I'm going to heat up some rice, you want any or are you going to complain if it's too short?"

Daryl rolls his eyes, but he grabs her by the wrist and pulls her to him. "On a serious note though, ye gotta be careful around those prisoners. They've been through some shit and I don't trust em'. Specially not round' you, you ain't seen how they look at you, like yer prey or somethin'. Just, promise you'll be careful."

"Not stupid, Dixon." Brie says, gently prodding her wrist out of his grip, "Besides, I got you to protect me, right? Isn't this what our relationship has turned into? 'Oh Daryl saveeeeee me!'" Brie drones in an incredibly high pitched voice, putting her hand over her heart, "Trust me Dixon, I'm going to be careful."

Daryl nods, believing her, "Good, cause I don't want ter waste time chasin' ya to make sure ye ain't in danger's way or anythin' like that."

"I'll be fine, cowboy." Brie says, "I always am, remember?"

"'Course I do."

"Don't worry so much, you shouldn't make rules if you can't follow them." With that, she leaves the room finally, leaving him to plop down on his bed and sigh heavily. Wondering how the fuck she even put up with his shit.

* * *

_hope you like this! Realized I haven't been updating as frequently as I'd like, so here you guys go! 2 new chapters!_

_fave & review & follow! _

_enjoy!_


	13. Daryl Saves Brie

_Daryl saves Brie._

* * *

The small blonde girl was alone, her eyes firmly closed as she sat in the Prison gym. The gym reeked, it smelt like decaying flesh. She popped open her eyes to glare at the locked door. Everything had gone wrong way too quickly.

The group decided to clear out the Gym, but things went wrong and she became the collateral damage. In the end, the door was slamming in her face and she was left with a bunch of walkers. At this point, Brie had accepted her fate, she knew she was going to die. So, Brie just closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. She cried at first, angry she could take out an entire gym of walkers and still have to die.

It simply wasn't fair.

Brie began to lightly hum, then she felt as if she was losing her mind with all of the humming, so she stopped.

The door jiggles.

She glances over, in a half daze by now. Half delirious by the lack of food and water. Brie even believed for a moment that she had hallucinated it, returning her gaze to the wall.

The door jiggles more violently, "Ya just left her in there?!" She hears, "Y'all worse than em' biters! Brie! BRIE! Can you hear me? Come on, don't die on me now, sunshine." The door is screaming by now, she hears, "Get back."

The door is thrown open violently. Rick, Daryl, Merle, and Glenn are standing in the doorway. They expected a bunch of walkers to come at them, Daryl had his crossbow aimed. He lowered it when he noticed the small blonde woman sitting against the wall, staring back at them.

Her eyes told them enough.

"Holy shit." Merle is the first one to break the silence, taking a few steps into the room. Occasionally kicking one of the walkers he passes by.

Daryl just seems shocked, his eyes wide, unbelieving. He expected her to be dead.

Rick charges towards her, taking her chin in his fingers, "You been bit?"

"No." She answers in a weak voice.

He looks at her, he cannot believe that she's alive. Rick is turning the idea over and over in his head, looking her over for bites. There is _no way in hell_.

"My fucking god, you scared the shit out of me." Daryl finally walks over to Brie, hoisting her up by her armpits and hugging her so close to him she can hardly breathe. "Course' my sunshine would make it."

Merle is analyzing the two with much curiosity, watching them much like a cat watches its prey. He's still walking around the walkers, surprised that each of them are dead. How can someone like that survive something like this?

Brie hugs him back and she tells herself she will not cry.

She's done enough crying.


	14. Daryl Loses Merle with a Touch of Brie

_Brie goes after Daryl when he goes after Merle. _

* * *

She jump starts his motorcycle, acutely aware she was wasting gas going after him. But in that moment, she just knew she needed to keep Daryl safe. The bike jerks forward and she makes a small noise before getting used to the feel of the bike beneath her. She soon tears out, following the road for a few miles. She hears gun shots and goes towards the small pops. Brie parks the motorcycle beside an abandoned warehouse. She pulls her gun out of her pocket, loading it and clicking off the safety.

The gun shots stop and she can hear a car start up and drive away. Brie then hears something all too familiar... crying. She edges across the edge of the warehouse, then she sees Daryl and Merle.

Merle's face is rotting, blood dripping down his chin. She gasps and clamps a hand over her mouth.

Brie see's the tears falling down Daryl's face, his face contorted in pain. Then replaced by anger, anger at the world, everything. He attacks his brother, stabbing him repeatedly in the head. He finally rolls over on his back, hiccuping.

She's not sure what to do, she edges out from behind the warehouse, "Daryl?" She says quietly, walking over to him, putting her gun back in her boot.

His eyes pop open, confused and red. He pulls himself up to see the timid blonde standing a few feet away from him. "Should have known you'd chase me out here." He stands up abruptly, "Lets go."

Brie is confused as he brushes past her, "Wait - are you okay?" She's scrambling after him, shooting pointed looks at zombie Merle. "Daryl!" She says, stopping in her tracks.

He senses that she's stopped following him, turning around. "What do you want me to say?"

Silence ensues. Brie swallows whatever words she was going to say down her throat, "I don't know. What do you need to say?"

Daryl walks over to her, "My brother died." His eyes are filled with sadness. She's worried he'll cry again because she knows she'll cry too.

Brie turns around to look at Merle, "Yeah, he did."

Daryl looks down at his feet sadly, "Now it's just you and me. Did it feel like this when you lost your sister?"

She feels her heart painfully twist at the mention of her sister. "It felt a lot worse. I wasn't as strong as you."

Daryl suddenly hugs her, pulling her in so close she can hardly breathe. She's so overwhelmed by the husky scent of him as she slides her arms around him. His husky voice is in his ear, "Must be a damn good actor then, sunshine."

* * *

_sad chapter! :( Anyways, next chapter will be about Daryl comforting Brie when she loses her sister! _


	15. Rescue Mission Ripped to Shreds

_Brie loses her sister, Daryl helps her through it._

* * *

They were invading Woodbury to rescue Daryl. Brie had her sister, Crystal, tightly stitched to her side. She had told Crystal to stay at the Prison, but as always, she insisted on going. Rick whistles and Crystal jumps over the wall, Brie chomping on her heels.

Brie shoots a few times, flattening herself against a building. "Here, go out I'll cover yo-" She turns to see her sister not there. "Crystal?" She says frantically, looking back into the smoke, "CRYSTAL?!" She shouts into the smoke. Without a care, she runs out into the smoke, "Crystal?!" She's screaming now, running through the mist. She feels someone throw her back against the wall.

"The fuck you doin' sunshine?!" Daryl is flattening her, pressing her against the wall with his body. He has a cut in his cheek, his hair is disheveled, and his eyes large and frantic.

"Crystal - Crystal, she's out there!" Brie is tripping over her own words, trying not to cry, "I can't find her! I'm not leaving without her!"

Daryl growls, frustrated, " So damn stubborn all the time. Rick or somebody probably already found her. Don' worry."

Brie shakes her head, "No, there's no way. She was right in front of me - but the smoke and the chaos and-" She's shaking so badly she didn't realize her anxiety was kicking in. Her breath coming out in short rasps.

Daryl grabs her shoulders, "Sunshine, don' worry, she'll be fine. She's a smart girl, she'll be fine." He's repeating. "Come on, we got to find the others." He grabs her by the hand, leading her through the smoke.

Suddenly, she trips.

She falls to the ground ungracefully, when she opens her eyes, she's looking into pale blue eyes.

The blue eyes of her sister.

She screams and crawls away from her, tears falling down her face. She can hear Daryl gripping for her through the smoke and the darkness. Brie's eyes are filling with tears and she can't move, she just crawls towards her.

"Please don't, please don't be dead." She's whispering, though the bullet through her sister's forehead is bleeding profusely. "Please. You can't do this to me - no, not after everything we've been through." The small blonde places a delicate hand on her sister's cream face. "Not after everything." She whispers again.

Daryl finally finds her, crouching beside her. "Hey.."

Brie shakes her head, "She isn't dead, she can't be."

"She is."

Brie whips her head to glare at him, "Did you not hear me? Hershel can fix this-"

Daryl grabs Crystal's wrist, placing his fingers where the pulse should be. "Ain't nothin' he can do."

"T-t-there has to be a way. It can't end like this." The tears are falling faster as she places her head on her sister's chest, "No, I-I couldn't do it. I couldn't save her - after everything.. this is because of me! I did this!" She shouts, standing up abruptly, brushing her golden blonde hair away from her face. "I should have made her stay! She's dead because of me!" She's frantic and crying and she can hardly breathe. Daryl grabs her by the shoulders.

"It ain't yer fault."

Brie cannot comprehend the absurdity of his words, "W-What?! I told her not to come! I TOLD HER!" She's shouting in his face now, "It should have been me, it should have never been her."

"Hey hey hey. You stop that, right now." Daryl places a dirty calloused hand on her cheek, "You survived for a damn reason. Don't go wastin' it just standin' here. Yer alive for a damn reason and I ain't goin' to let you die in yo' self pity."

Brie's mouth is ajar, "Self pity?" She then allows her hand to freely slap Daryl Dixon across the face. He can taste blood in his mouth, "Self pity! Fuck you!" She shouts, turning on her heel and storming away from him.

"Brie - come on!"

"Shut the fuck up! Don't you ever get tired of hearing your own voice?!" She turns around, storming towards him, "This isn't self pity! It's called I just lost the only person I ever gave a shit about! I'm alone now! Don't you get that? I HAVE NO ONE!"

"Yer the one that needs to shut up."

She looks taken back by his words, "What-"

"No, shut up. Ye have me now. Ye always had me. So don't sit there and think yer all alone, cause ye got me, and I ain't goin' no where."

Brie feels her face fall in relief. She takes a deep breath, "Lets go." She says, turning around, pulling out her gun with one last sad stricken look at her sister. "They'll be looking for us."

* * *

_reviews&faves&follows make my day! :)_

_hope you enjoyed, thought it was incredibly sweet/sad! _

_xxxxx_


	16. Comfort and Clouds

_Daryl comforts Brie_

* * *

It was storming, they were all huddled around a dimming fire. The light of the flames seemed to be dancing across the walls, like shadows. Brie was huddled in a blanket with Beth and Maggie as Daryl and Merle talked by the cells.

Another burst of thunder and Brie jumps, Maggie giggles.

"You scared of storms, city girl?"

Brie glances over at Maggie, sighing and staring at her feet. "No." She mutters stubbornly, staring at her worn out black boots. She brings her knees closer to her chest, closing her eyes. "Isn't there some written taboo that there shouldn't be storms during apocalypses?"

"None that I've heard of." Beth pipes up, she suddenly stands up, "I'm going to check on Judith." She says with a smile as she walks away.

Suddenly a whistle sounds through the air. A very low breathy whistle, Brie looks up to see Daryl, gesturing for her to follow him.

"Be right back." Brie says, letting the blanket fall from her shoulders as she gets up. She follows Daryl towards the door that leads outside, he's leaning against the door, his crossbow pressing against the door.

"Wanted to talk to ye."

Brie quirks an eyebrow at him, "About what?"

"Yer sister."

She feels a lump in her throat. Since her sister had died, she had banished any thought of her, becoming numb to the entire idea. Thinking she was off on vacation in some exotic place rather than.. well..

"I'm done talking." She snaps, turning around, ready to flee, but Daryl grabs her arm.

"No you ain't. I'm no expert on how women work, but I'm pretty sure 'I'm done' means I gotta talk." Daryl won't let her go, "Come on." He opens the door that leads outside, the thunder greets him as it shouts through the air.

"Uh, there is no way in hell-" She tries to walk her way back to the cells but he drags her out into the open air. Rain falls on her face and she can barely breathe under it. Lightning illuminates the sky. "You are absolutely nuts, Dixon!" She shouts through the thunder, her blonde hair whipping around in the wind. She marches after him as he runs down the hill, laying himself at the bottom. "What are you doing?" She asks, kicking his shoulder.

"Cheerin' you up."

"By getting us all muddy and gross? Gee, how fun." Brie says, a sarcastic tone layering her words.

Daryl tugs on her leg, gesturing for her to sit down. She sits down next to him, looking at the storm.

"That'd be nice if that was a tornado." Brie says dreamily, her bright green eyes holding the storm.

"Just suck in all the walkers." Daryl says with a laugh, "Come on, that ain't gon' work."

"Neither is cheering me up."

Daryl looks up at her, pulling himself up to sit beside her, "I ain't good at this. I ain't never lost nobody before, so I can't tell ya if it's goin' to get better because it probably won't." He takes a deep breath, "But for you, I hope it does."

She looks over at him, her nose scrunched, "It hurts, a lot. I try not to think about it. I have this stupid picture of her and I - before the apocalypse. And we'd look at it before we went out, so then we'd remember what we had so we could fight for it." She reaches absentmindedly for the locket around her neck. She takes it off, opening it and handing it to Daryl.

There are two similar looking blondes shoved into the tiny heart shaped lock. They both have wide grins, one of them wearing glasses and the other has piercing green eyes.

"I haven't opened it since she.." She stops herself, closing her eyes, "Died." She finally chokes out, "Since she died."

Daryl looks at her cautiously.

"I couldn't even think that without crying.. now I can say it." Brie says, shaking her head with a grin, she reaches for the locket. "I know she's better now.." She stops, "You're not too bad at this."

Daryl gives her a toothy grin, "I'm tryin'."

"That's all I need." Brie gives him a smile as thunder strikes through the air again.


	17. How Sunshine Came About

_How Brie got the nickname Sunshine._

* * *

Brie crouches behind Glenn as they're about to invade an empty shop near Hershel's farm. This was her first outing with the group and she wasn't going to be the one to mess it up.

Rick whistles, and they advance on the small shop. They go in, each of them holding their weapons and whipping wildly around the store, on high alert. Brie's pulse is racing with Maggie on her heels.

"Empty." Rick finally says, breaking the silence. "Grab what you can run with."

Everyone scatters, grabbing whatever's on the shelves, quickly checking the expiration date before putting into a bag. Brie grabs some cherries, flipping it over to see the expiration date has yet to pass. She throws it into her bag.

"Having fun?" Maggie asks, coming up beside Brie.

Brie turns around, her hand flying to her heart. "You scared me." She says absentmindedly, turning back to the shelves, "I guess so. I'm used to doing this by myself, nice to have a few more pairs of eyes to be tirelessly paranoid instead of just me."

"What do you think of Rick's group?"

"Don't talk to them." Brie picks up a jar of pickles, turning it over.

"What about Daryl?"

Brie looks over her shoulder at Maggie, "The redneck?"

Maggie laughs, absentmindedly letting her fingers trail over the jars, "Yes, the redneck."

"Don't care." Brie puts the pickles into her bag, "Don't know them enough to care." Walking down the aisle, her black boots clicking as she takes slow steps. Suddenly, an arm swings out, she ducks, and the arm hits a rack full of jelly. They all fall to the floor with a loud crash, on top of Brie. She makes a small shrieking noise as she looks up into the eyes of a walker. She shoves the rack off of her and she's about to pull her knife - but when gets on her feet, there's an arrow sticking through the walker's skull.

She whirls around to see everyone staring at her, Daryl lowers his crossbow. Walking past her, causing her hair to move in the wind he blew. "Thought you said it was clear." He says, pulling the arrow out of the walker's skull.

"Thought it was." Rick responds, "Must have been in the back." He nods towards the swinging doors, "We should put up a trap or something so we can hear them if they try to attack again."

They set up a noisy barrier by the doors. Brie is busy trying to get peach jelly out of her hair. Daryl walks over to her, letting his finger absentmindedly pull at one of the strands. "Made in Sunshine farms." He says, lifting the jam to his fingers and licking, his face contorts, "Sour."

"Expired." Brie revises for him, "Well I'm not really feeling the sunshine anymore." Brie says, wiping the jelly on her jeans.

"That right.. sunshine?"

Her eyes hit his, green against blue, "You are not calling me that."

"Who's goin' to stop me, sunshine? You owe me a life debt, remember?"

"It doesn't mean you get to give me a stupid nickname!" Brie pouts, placing her hand on her hip, "I did not get all of this jelly all over me so you could give me a stupid nickname."

Daryl has a smirk on his lips, obviously enjoying toying with the petite blonde. "Come on, sunshine. It ain't that bad, I think it's cute."

"Good to know that _you_ enjoy it." Brie snaps, "I'm going to find a terrible nickname for you now."

"No you ain't."

"Yes I am."

"No."

"Yes."

They glare at each other for a few moments. Then Brie's eyes light up in excitement.

"Cowboy, that's your nickname." She pokes him in the middle of his chest, "Your accent doomed you, cowboy."

Daryl glares at her, "I don't owe you a life debt."

"You still get a shitty nickname out of the deal. Life is so hard, isn't it?" Brie gives him a smirk, turning on her heel, "See you around, cowboy."

"Bet your ass you will, sunshine." He says, a hidden enthusiasm in his voice that even startled him.


	18. Daryl and Brie Bonding Time

_Brie and Daryl bond in the beginning of their relationship._

* * *

Brie knew absolutely nothing about the Atlanta group. She was still stuttering over their names and mixing them up constantly. While Rick and Hershel talked about the Atlanta group staying longer, Brie escaped. She went outside, pulling a cigarette pack out of her back pocket. She sinks down the wall of the house, lighting the cigarette. She sits and smokes.

"Hershel know you smoke?" A rough looking man asks, walking over to her, crossbow clad over his shoulder.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him." She says, taking a drag. "Want one?" She asks, holding the pack out to him.

He sits down next to her, a quiet grumble of, "Sure, fuck it." He takes the cigarette from her hand and lights it. "Brie, isn't it?"

"Yep, not that you'll need to remember it." She pauses for a few seconds, "Daryl, right?"

"Good job, princess. Want a fuckin' medal?"

Brie laughs, flicking the end of her cigarette, "I'll add it to my overgrowing collection of medals. You're not that nice, are you?" She asks, looking over at him, curiosity layering her eyes.

"I just think bein' mean suits me better."

"Oh yes, it does wonders for your eyes." She says with an eye roll.

"You ain't the nicest either."

"Ah, well spotted. To quote the famous Daryl Dixon, 'you want a fucking medal'?" She asks, a slight grin on her face.

Daryl seems taken back by the petite blonde, so much fire in such a small frame. He can't help but realize he's definitely sexually attracted to her. She was curved in all the right places. His own boldness surprised him, even talking to her.

"Aren't we just two peas in a pod then, eh?" He says, taking a drag off his cigarette.

Brie finds herself wondering what it would be like to kiss him. He didn't seem like the sentimental type, so gentle was probably not - okay, not time to think about that, she chides herself.

"A pretty cold, withered pod, but a pod nonetheless." Brie jokes, flicking the ashes off her cigarette end again. "You don't really fit in with your group, do you?"

Daryl looks over at her, questioningly, "Not at first, but I'm gettin' there. What about you? You don't really fit into Hershel's family picture."

"I put the food on the table, so." Brie says with a grin, "He can't get rid of me."

"I still think that's ridiculous."

Brie shrugs, "No one else to do it."

"You are one crazy son of a bitch."

"I hope that's just another way of saying 'you're one brave chick', in your country language." She says, taking a little stab at his country twang.

"I ain't got no country language."

"Honey you don't listen to yourself when you talk, do you?"

Daryl rolls his eyes, leaning against the house, "Ain't heard your voice either then, huh?"

"Shut up, I don't have a twang."

"Tiny bit."

"Not even."

"Evun?"

"I said even, shut up."

Daryl laughs at her, taking a drag, "Okay Princess, looks like someone wants to have a tea party with you." Daryl says, nodding at the approaching Maggie.

"Shut up, I should knock your teeth out."

"Feisty, just like I like em'." He quips before Maggie comes up.

Maggie walks over to the two, "Hey Brie, come down to the lake with me and grab some water." She says, "Hershel's bitching again."

Brie pushes herself up, stomping on her cigarette, "Yeah, no problem." She turns to Daryl, chucking the cigarette pack at him, "Consider that.. me being _nice_." She says with a coy smile as she walks off with Maggie.

"My god, you were flirting with that Daryl Dixon guy!"

"Shut up, Maggie." She says, and Maggie playfully pushes her.

"Look at you, all blushin' and shit! The whole deal!" Maggie seems completely overjoyed.

"For the love of God, shut up Greene!" Brie hisses, shoving her again, "I'll drown you in the lake."

"So when are you going to sleep with him?!"

It was going to be a long day, Brie decided. She looks back at Daryl to see him smirking at his boots.


	19. The World is On Fire

_Brie gets left behind._

* * *

The herd tore through Hershel's house with no mercy. Each rotting mouth was eager for the food that was running around them. Brie was panicked, the farm was on fire and she could barely breathe. Her mouth was full of smoke and her eyes were full of tears. She felt something pull at her, which she quickly kicked away and shot at.

She shouted through the smoke, "Is anyone out there?!" She shouted, coming so close to crying, her voice wavering. No one answered her, just the moans of the dead. Brie fumbles towards the driveway, she finally finds the handle of the charger, throwing herself in and locking the doors. She starts the engine and backs out slowly. She finds an opening in the crowd and does a 180, barreling down the dirt road.

She doesn't see anyone for miles.

She's ready to give up hope, admit that she's alone. That her sister would think that she was dead. That would tear her apart. Brie decides to head towards the bridge that Maggie found them at. It's a long drive, she can feel her eyes watering as she looks at the empty roads.

Then, she sees them, Daryl's on his motorcycle, Rick, Lori, Crystal, and Carl are climbing back into the van. They don't hear Brie pull up when she cuts the engine.

Crystal sees her first, running over to her, "BRIE!" She shouts, tears falling from her eyes. She runs at Brie, wrapping her arms around her throat and clinging.

"Shhh, shhh. I'm here." Brie says softly, though she starts to cry too, running her hand through her sister's golden blonde hair.

"I thought you were dead, they told me you were dead." Crystal sobs into her shoulder, "You're not dead."

"Of course not." Brie whispers. Crystal finally lets her go.

Daryl is watching them with much interest. He swings his leg off the bike, his other leg following. He walks over to the duo, "Knew you'd make it, sunshine." He ruffles her hair, a very sibling-like gesture.

"Just hug me, Dixon." Brie says confidently, wrapping herself around him.

He seems taken back by the sudden burst of affection on Brie's part, but nonetheless he hugs her, "Didn't doubt you for a minute." He whispers into her hair, playing with the strands.

"I would have killed you if you had." She chokes on a sob slash laugh, she had yet to decide which one it was.

* * *

_short little tidbit, been busy lately but thought I should update!_

_review, fave, follow. 3 my three favorite words. along with quirky and dandy that is._


	20. Fire

_Brie and Daryl bond at the bonfire._

* * *

The fire was blazing, sure, they were risking being seen, but they put the fire in the barn, so they were just going to enjoy it for now. Maggie, Glenn, Rick, Lori, Carl, Beth, Hershel, Daryl, T-Dog, Carol, Andrea, and Brie were all huddled around the fire, talking excitedly.

Brie tips her head back, taking a long drink of alcohol, she coughs a tad bit.

"Newbie, eh?" Daryl Dixon quips from beside her.

She turns to him, not used to the pure.. presence of him. Daryl Dixon was an overwhelming man in general, he seemed liked he was undressing you with his eyes, making you uncomfortable.

"Haven't heard of my famous bar fights, hmm?" Brie snaps at him, a little playful tease in her voice. She takes another drink, "Otherwise yes, I'm new to this, sorry I wasn't a raging alcoholic before this."

"That so, sunshine?"

"How many times have I said don't call me that?" Brie flips her hair over her shoulder, looking over at him.

"Come on, I'm feelin' claustrophobic." He stands up, extending a hand to her.

"On what world did you think I'd go anywhere with you?"

"The walker-ridden one. Look at that, we're in it, come on - lets go." Daryl raises an eyebrow at her, "You scared of me, sunshine?"

Brie glares at him, she bites her lip and shoots a look towards Maggie, who gives her a very over eager thumbs up. "I'm not scared of anything." She says, taking his hand. He pulls her up and she follows him out of the barn.

Daryl chuckles, "Not scared of anythin'? That so?"

"Besides snakes, though I don't see any up here, so nothing to worry about." Brie says.

Daryl grabs her, pressing her up against the barn, his lips so close to hers she can almost taste the mintiness of his breath. She feels her body yearn for him, her wrists clasped in his hands, pressed against the barn. She may or may not have had dreams like this. His lips graze the side of her face as he puts her mouth next to her ear.

"You should be scared of me, sunshine, if ya know what's best for ya."

Though how can she be afraid of him when the sexual tension between the two is ready to explode? When she wants to thrust herself forward and press herself against him?

"Maybe you should be afraid of me." She quips, though she can hardly breathe.

"Now why would that be?"

Brie breaks his grip on her, wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulls him down to her lips. Parting hers against his, he's surprised, so surprised he doesn't kiss her for a second. But he falls into her, his strong arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her against him. His tongue forces her lips apart with a moan, his hand reaches up her shirt, feeling her bare back. Their lips break, each of them breathing heavily.

"That's why." She says with a cocky smile, stepping away from him and walking back towards the bonfire.

* * *

_hehehee, just had to sneak another Daryl/Brie kiss in here for y'all! _


	21. Saying Goodbye

_Daryl tries to say goodbye._

* * *

They rescued Daryl and Merle, but Crystal was lost. Brie had yet to stop crying since they left Woodbury, the sun had come up and her tears just kept falling. She allowed Maggie to envelope her in her arms. The warmth was welcoming, but after a while, Brie had to draw away from her. Leaning her head against the window. She was surprised when Daryl's bike came to a sudden halt. Rick stopped the van, hopping out.

"Why we stopping?"

"He ain't comin' with us, is he?" Daryl asks, pointing a finger at his brother, Merle.

Rick shakes his head, "Just wouldn't be good for the group. He's reckless, get us all killed. Plus what he did to Glenn and Maggie, we can't excuse that."

Brie steps out of the van, followed by Maggie, then Glenn. Glenn is angry, he wants blood, Merle's blood. For torturing him, for throwing a walker at him. Everything that happened was because of him.

"Well." Daryl shifts on his feet, "No him, no me."

The whole group is shocked, Brie looks up through her tear filled daze, wiping whatever tears out of her eyes. Highly aware her eyes are bright red.

"Daryl.." Rick takes a step forward.

"Nah, you heard me, I lost him once, I ain't losin' him again." Daryl shakes his head, "You can't make me either, no him, no me, simple as that."

After some discussion, it was decided to cut Daryl loose. Brie wanted to protest, but her throat was so raw from all of the screaming she had done at Crystal's corpse. Her eyes were fresh with tears and she swallowed the bile in her throat. She looked down at the ground, kicking it. She was angry, she had just lost her sister and now she was losing the guy who had said he'd be there for her.

"Brie."

She looks up at the mention of her name, to see Daryl waving her over. "C'mere."

She walks over to him, hesitantly, she was scratched up pretty badly. A scratch on her cheek had finally stopped bleeding, though whenever she cried, it stung. Which was why she kept trying to stop.

He doesn't say anything, just looking her over. He hugs her, pulling her in close.

He smells like the wilderness and mint. Brie wraps her arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry."

Brie swallows hard, she doesn't want to cry again, "You're leaving."

"I got to, sunshine. He needs me, you'll be fine." Daryl says, releasing her from his grip so he can run a thumb over her cheek. "You don't need me."

"You said you'd be there for me." She hiccups, "And you're leaving."

"I know, sunshine. I just have to do this. Yer goin' to survive this. You hear me? If I come back, you best be alive, or I ain't forgivin' you. Yer strong, you'll get through this. I believe in ya, okay, sunshine? You'll get through this, yer so strong." He hugs her again, his face in her hair, "I love you, and don't you dare go get yourself killed."

She can't hear him through her sobbing.

"Come with us." He whispers.

She looks up at him through tear stained eyes, "You know I can't. Carol, Beth, Maggie, they need me." She whispers.

Daryl gives her a little smile, "Look at us, giving ourselves away to other people. Needed by so many. I'll see you again, Brie. Ain't nothin' going to stop that." Daryl says, kissing her on the forehead, "You go back where you're needed, and heal damn it, just, be.. be okay when I get back."

Brie nods, hiccuping.

It didn't feel like a goodbye. She didn't like this. She hated every step he took away from her. She wanted to scream for him to get back on his fucking bike and back to the hospital. She didn't like this, she didn't like goodbye. So she forced it out of her memory. Brie did not like endings, endings were always sad. So when Daryl and Merle descended into the woods, she refused to admit that he was gone.

* * *

_just a sad little chapter for y'all. :(_

_fave, review, follow, my three favorite words._

_xxxx_


End file.

Walking Dead, Humor, Romance